Stimulation of cholecystokinin (CCK) release from superfused rat hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal complexes by...

This in vitro study examined the effects of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interferon-gamma (Ifn-gamma) on the release of cholecysto-kinin (CCK) from superfused hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal complexes (HNC) of rats. An increase of CCK from HNC was elicited in a dose-dependent manner by recombinant human IL-1 alpha and -1 beta in concentrations of 0.1-10 nM. In contrast, the release of CCK from HNC was not affected by recombinant human Ifn-gamma at any dose tested (0.1, 1 and 10 nM). The increased release of CCK elicited by IL-1 was calcium-dependent, as was that induced by potassium (60 mM), but it was biphasic and had a different time course and a lower magnitude than those induced by potassium and veratridine. These results suggest that IL-1 activates pituitary-adrenal axis by stimulating CCK neurons in the hypothalamus and/or neurohypophysis to release CCK, since CCK has been implicated in the regulation of adrenocorticotropin release.